20 top models who are owning the runways at New York Fashion Week

GiGi Hadid didn't miss a beat when she lost a shoe during Anna Sui's New York Fashion Week show.
USA TODAY

The Jenners and Hadids are far from the only models that matter on New York Fashion Week runways this season.

In addition to fashion's "It" girls du jour, younger celebrity offspring like Sofia Richie, Kaia Gerber and Mason Grammer have also been making names for themselves in the designer shows that kicked off Thursday. There's the diverse and body-positive class of models championed by Christian Siriano and Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, whose presence has made fashion week feel realer than ever. And Coco Rocha, Adriana Lima and supermodels from the previous, pre-Instagram generations.

The result? A week full of surprise appearances and welcomed new faces. These were Here are 20 of the models making asting impressions this week.

Avie Acosta

Christian Siriano’s shows have consistently pushed the boundaries of representation on the runway. This week’s show was no exception, featuring trans model Avie Acosta who’s previously worked with Philipp Plein and Marc Jacobs.

Halima Aden

Aden was one of the breakout stars at fashion week in February, when the Somali-American model appeared in hijab at the Yeezy fall 2017 show. Since then, she’s covered Allure and CR Fashion Book, starring as one of the faces on Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty in the brand’s campaign video.

Paloma Elsesser

Paloma Elsesser walked in the Eckhaus Latta show. Here, she matches yellow heels with a yellow purse at the Fenty Puma by Rihanna show on Sunday.(Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris, (Credit too long, see caption))

The curvy, Latina and African-American model appeared alongside Aden in Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty ads and walked the Eckhaus Latta runway, one of fashion week's most diverse shows of the season thus far.

EZ

The Korean-American model with her blonde signature buzz cut is an Alexander Wang favorite, closing the designer’s show in February and reappearing on his runway this week. In between, she’s modeled for spreads in W and Vogue Italia.

Charlee Fraser

Charlee Fraser brightened the runway at the Prabal Gurung show in this sunny yellow shade on Sunday.(Photo: Kathy Willens, AP)

Fraser may not have a marquee name just yet, but the Australian stunner has walked in more shows this week than just about anyone else on this list, including Prabal Gurung, Brandon Maxwell, Tom Ford and more.

Kaia Gerber

Few models have had a breakout week like Gerber, the 16-year-old daughter of Cindy Crawford who made her runway debut at Calvin Klein. Since then, she's also been seen at Alexander Wang and Fenty x Puma, showing off a ‘90s supermodel walk that’s all-too-reminiscent of her mom.

Mason Grammer

Mason Grammer, the daughter of Kelsey Grammer, wore a beautiful ballgown on the runway at the Malan Breton show on Thursday.(Photo: JP Yim, Getty Images)

Another rising model with famous parents: 15-year-old Mason Grammer is the daughter of actor Kelsey Grammer and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Camille Grammer. Her showing at this week’s Malan Breton show marked her sixth fashion week appearance, with more surely to come.

Bella Hadid

Of course, the modeling world’s most famous celebrity offspring are Gigi and Bella Hadid, whose parents are real estate developer Mohamed Hadid and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Hadid. In addition to walking in a bevy of shows this week, including Prabal Gurung, Alexander Wang, Oscar de la Renta and Jason Wu, Hadid landed the September issue covers for Vogue Spain, Brazil, Australia, Arabia and China.

Gigi Hadid

Bella’s older sister Gigi rounds out fashion’s favorite familial duo. After covering Vogue in August with her boyfriend Zayn Malik, Hadid’s career is as hot as ever. Her appearances this week include Prabal Gurung, Jeremy Scott, Brandon Maxwell and Tom Ford.

Candice Huffine

Among the many plus-size models who graced the runway at Christian Siriano was Huffine, who also walked for Prabal Gurung this week. In addition to modeling, Huffine has also started designing, partnering with the Canadian lingerie brand Fortnight for a sexy, size-inclusive line.

Kendall Jenner

Along with the Hadids, Kendall Jenner is one of fashion’s most recognizable young stars, with an extended family whose fame speaks for itself. While Jenner’s schedule isn’t as busy as previous seasons, she’s walked in a number of the biggest shows, including Tom Ford and Alexander Wang.

Precious Lee

Precious Lee wore classy black and white stripes on the runway at the Dia &amp; Co fashion show on Friday.(Photo: Daniel Zuchnik, Getty Images for Dia&Co,)

The first black plus-size model to appear in the pages of Vogue and Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue, and was one of the many body-positivity advocates who walked for Christian Siriano this week.

Adriana Lima

Adriana Lima posed backstage at the Fenty Puma show in a sporty jacket and a sleek hairstyle on Sunday.(Photo: Bryan Bedder, (Credit too long, see caption))

Lima may belong to the generation of models that came before today’s Instagram superstars, but she continues to be an unmistakable presence on runways today, from her 17-year membership to the Victoria’s Secret Angels club to her appearance at Philipp Plein and Fenty x Puma.

Sofia Richie

Sofia Richie, the daughter of Lionel Richie, walked in the Jeremy Scott show on Friday.(Photo: Jason DeCrow, AP)

The daughter of Lionel Richie, Sofia shot to fame after her brief stint dating Justin Bieber. But modeling first put Richie on the map, and it’s her career on the runway that’s continued to sustain the 19-year-old’s fame, with fans spotting her walking for Jeremy Scott this week.

Coco Rocha

The iconic model has long been a muse of Christian Siriano, and she opened and closed his show with a pair of dramatic looks, proving that Rocha’s otherworldly appeal still has lasting power decades into her career.

Irina Shayk

This week marked Shayk’s return to the runway after giving birth in April, with the Russian model (and wife to Bradley Cooper) walking in the Philipp Plein show.

Joan Smalls

The Puerto Rican superstar continues to place among fashion’s most famous young stars alongside the Hadids and Jenners, with a busy fashion week slate that has so far included Alexander Wang, Tom Ford, Brandon Maxwell and Jeremy Scott.

Teyana Taylor

Teyana Taylor on the GCDS runway, moments before snatching her sunglasses off.(Photo: Albert Urso, Getty Images For NYFW: The Shows)

This has been Teyana Taylor’s week, with the model/singer closing the GCDS show and partying at Pat McGrath's Mothership Ball before stealing the show at Philipp Plein with her high-drama runway walk.

Duckie Thot

Duckie Thot wore a white hoodie look on the runway at the Christian Cowan show on Saturday.(Photo: Ilya S. Savenok, Getty Images for Christian Cowan)

The Sudanese-American model has been an advocate for dark-skinned girls across the industry, looking stunning in Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty campaign ad and appearing in the first all-black Pirelli Calendar this summer before walking the Jeremy Scott runway this week.

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Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner (pictured here wearing a 'Wangover' tiara at the Alexander Wang show Saturday), may be fashion's current 'It' girls. But there are plenty of top models making an impact on the runways of New York. Here are a few of the stand-out faces this season.
Dia Dipasupil, (Credit too long, see caption)

Joan Smalls has been at the front of the young modeling pack for years, and continues to work, as she did in a blue bodysuit and matching heels with sunglasses at Rihanna's Fenty Puma show.
JP Yim, (Credit too long, see caption)